Milk carton handle



June 20, 1967 p RlCHTER ET AL I 3,326,591

MILK CARTON HANDLE Filed May 27, 1965' Peter Richter Arf/wr Lefioy Larson Peter Richter 3,326,591 MILK CARTON HANDLE and 'Arthur Le Roy Larson, Woodland, Calif., assignors to Neil Brown, Suisun City, Calif.

. Filed May 27, 1965, Ser. No. 459,298

3 Claims. (Cl. 294-32) The present'invention relates to certain new and useful 7 improvements in a handle which is such in construction that it-may be readily attached to and detached from a milk cartonor the like, more particularly, a plastic or paraflin coated'carton such as is provided at the upper end with a gable-like top wherein at least one end thereof is fashioned into a manually projectible and retractible pouring spout. a

A survey of the art to which the invention relateswould with upper and lower portions of the milk carton and has A a median partformed with a U-shaped handle or grip. One priorart adaptation so characterized is the handle attachment disclosed in the Bennington Patent 2,765,969. Another is the type identifiedas a milk bottle holder-in Patent 3,056,534.

The general object of the present invention is to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon the above-named prior patents and any similar attachments which are capable of being'readily harnessed for use on the walls of the conventional type carton without intert fering with theexisting component parts thereof.

: ..In carrying out the present invention a single length of strap metal which is bendable, substantially rigid but yet has resilient properties is provided. To the ends desired, the main vertical portion has a U-shaped handgrip. A lower part is fashioned into a stirrup in which the bottom portion of the carton is saddled when in use. The upper part is specially constructed so that it projects without difiiculty into an existing substantially V-shaped pocket or recess at the end of the gable top which is opposite the openable and closable spout.

More specifically, novelty is predicated particularly on the upper end of the strap which is obliquely bent and which terminates in a lateral bent portion which in turn is fashioned into a pair of pointed prongs or spurs which can be temporarily embedded and anchored so that both ends of the handle are securely held in place.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a conventional-type carton with the improved readily applicable and removable handling attachment in its ready-to-use position thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view with parts broken away and appearing in section and showing the attachment in full and phantom lines, respectively;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view taken on the vertical section line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an edge elevational view of the attachment by itself.

v United States Patent 3,326,591 Patented June 20, 1967 ice that the invention resides in the attachment shown by itself in FIG. 4. It will be helpful, however, to mention that the carton is a throwaway type and is substantially conventional and comprises a vertically elongated rectangular body portion- A having a bottom wall B and a now generally well known gable-type top C. The top as is customary is provided at its respective ends with substan tially V-shaped or triangulate recesses, the one at the left in FIG. 1 being denoted at D and the one at the right being denoted at E and embodying the expansible and contractible pouring spout. Insofar as the attachment is concerned it does not interfere with the spout. In fact, it is to be attached to the side where the pocket or recess D is diametrically opposite the pouring spout E. The attachment comprises a single length of bendable but substantially rigid strap metal which also is possessed of certain resilient properties. It would be within the purview of the invention, it is believed and if the manufacturer so decides, to construct the attachment from sheet moldable plastic material. The preferred embodiment, however, is fashioned from a flat-faced strap of appropriate metal which is characterized by a vertically elongated componentdenoted generally at 6, a bottom component or part 8 and an upper attaching and securing end portion which is denoted generally at 10.

More specifically, the elongated vertical portion 6 is characterized by a substantially U-shaped handle or handgrip 12 the lower portion of which joins with a depending leg 14 which is fashioned into a bottom contacting and seating stirrup, that is, a part which is made up of the members 16 and 18. These two members coacting with each other in proper angular relationship and also with the vertical or depending part 14 of the strap go to make up a'satisfactory stirrup in which the bottom portion of the carton is releasably seated. This saddle or stirrup is bendable and resilient so that it can be sprung into posi tion and also sprung and freed from engagement with the a carton in the manner suggested'in full and phantom lines in FIG. 2. The upper vertical portion 20 is fashioned into the insertable and anchorable means which comprises an oblique angled adapter 22 and a laterally bent upstanding flange 24. This flange as shown best in FIG. 3 is formed with a terminal semicircular notch 26 which is centrally positioned so that it in turn defines a pair of penetrating and anchoring prongs 28 which straddle and can be forcibly pressed through the outwardly and downwardly divergent wall portions 30 and 32 (FIG. 3) and to thus achieve the manner of attachment and retention shown. It follows that briefly summarized the intermediate part of the strap is fashioned into a U-shaped handle or grip 12 with a depending component 14 joined with a bottom engaging and supporting stirrup and with the upper vertical portion 20 joined with an adapter which is properly angled and which terminates in a flange which in turn is provided with a notch 26 and anchoring prongs 28.

With further and more specific reference to the aforementioned adapter it will be evident that this is an extension of the upper vertical portion 20 and the obliquity of the angle is conformable with the carton surface which is overlapped thereby when in use. Moreover the extension is proportional in length to the coacting wall portion as brought out in both FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the upstanding flange 24 terminates at the proper point to accomplish the penetration and anchoring result shown and described. Then, too, it should be observed that the bend or bent portion which provides the junctional connection between the adapter extension 22 and flange 26 provides a piloting and positioning cam which is maneuvered into place in the manner shown in phantom lines in FIG. 2 whereby the prongs 28 straddle the space between the wall portions 30 and 32', in a manner to achieve the penetrating and anchoring result desired.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction With the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention, the construction, the features and advantages and the manner of using the same. Accordingly, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary. V

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

' What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use on and in conjunction with a disposable-type milk carton characterized by a gable-type top having substantially triangulate recesses at opposite vertical ends and wherein one recessed portion embodies a projectible and retractible spout and the opposite recessed portion constitutes a pocket, a readily attachable and detachable carton handling attachment for said carton comprising a vertical strap member embodying a U-shaped handle opposed to one vertical side of said carton and coplanar upstanding and depending portions, respectively contacting said side, the lower end of said depending portion being provided ,with a substantially L-shaped member which constitutes a stirrup which is adapted to embrace and seat the bottom of said carton, the upper end of said upstanding portion having an adapter projecting removablyinto said pocket and terminating in anchoring means, said anchoring means having a laterally bent flange terminating in a notch defining and providing a pair of upstanding pointed prongs, said prongs providing penetrating members which when applied serve to puncture coacting wall portions whereby to thus anchor themselves in a given retaining position.

2. A handle attachment for a conventional type throwaway plastic or paraflin-coated milk carton comprising a fiat-faced bend having a vertically elongated portion, the central part of which is fashioned into and provides a substantially U-shaped handgrip, a lower end portion which is L-shaped and formed into a carton seating and embracing stirrup, an upper vertical portion having an adapter, said adapter being disposed at an oblique angle relative to said vertical portion and having a free end portion terminating in an angular upstanding flange, said flange having a terminal notch, said notch defining and providing a pair of coplanar identical upstanding pointed prongs which are adapted to puncture and penetrate divergent wall portions of the carton in a manner to obtain the desired anchoring and retaining result.

3. A handling and carrying attachment for a milk carton of the type described comprising an elongated bendable and resilient strap member having a median U-shaped portion constituting and providing a handgrip, having a lower end portion terminating in a. laterally directed L-shaped portion constituting and providing a carton bridging and seating stirrup and also having an upper end portion provided with a laterally projecting oblique angled extension constituting and providing an adapter, said adapter being of a predetermined length proportional with the surface of the carton onwhich it resides when in a usable position, said extension having an end portion terminating in a laterally bent upstanding flange, said flange being of a prescribed vertical height and being centrally notched and defining a pairof 'wall penetrating flange-anchoring and retaining prongs, the bend defined by the bent portion at the juncture of the free end of said extension and flange constituting andtproviding a camlike portion which facilitates .piloting and positioning the penetrating ends of said prongs in the desired position and,

in fact, assisting in pressurizing the prongs in a manner to puncture coacting downwardly .divergent wall portions in which the prongs are then temporarily but securely anchored.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,998,771 4/1935 Smith 294-27 2,765,969 10/1956 Bennington 224- 2,810,503 10/1957 Krueger et a1. 220- 3,056,534 10/ 1962 Kasper 22445 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. FOR USE ON AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH A DISPOSABLE-TYPE MILK CARTON CHARACTERIZED BY A GABLE-TYPE TOP HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULATE RECESSES AT OPPOSITE VERTICAL ENDS AND WHEREIN ONE RECESSED PORTION EMBODIES A PROJECTILE AND RETRACTIBLE SPOUT AND THE OPPOSITE RECESSED PORTION CONSTITUTES A POCKET, A READILY ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE CARTON HANDING ATTACHMENT FOR SAID CARTON COMPRISING A VERTICAL STRAP MEMBER EMBODYING A U-SHAPED HANDLE OPPOSED TO ONE VERTICAL SIDE OF SAID CARTON AND COPLANAR UPSTANDING AND DEPENDING PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY CONTACTING SAID SIDE, THE LOWER END OF SAID DEPENDING PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED MEMBER WHICH CONSTITUTES A STIRRUP WHICH IS ADAPTED TO EMBRACE AND SEAT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CARTON, THE UPPER END OF SAID UPSTANDING PORTION HAVING AN ADAPTER PROJECTING REMOVABLY INTO SAID POCKET AND TERMINATING IN ANCHORING MEANS, SAID ANCHORING MEANS HAVING A LATERALLY BENT FLANGE TERMINATING IN A NOTCH DEFINING AND PROVIDING A PAIR OF UPSTANDING POINTED PRONGS, SAID PRONGS PROVIDING PENETRATING MEMBERS WHICH WHEN APPLIED SERVE TO PUNCTURE COACTING WALL PORTIONS WHEREBY TO THUS ANCHOR THEMSELVES IN A GIVEN RETAINING POSITION. 